Advanced Grammar for IELTS Modal Verbs - Will, Would and Shall

Dec 12, 2022

IELTS exam requires students to be proficient in the English language in order to study in foreign colleges and universities. Accordingly, the IELTS exam includes four sections of reading, writing, speaking, and listening assessing the skills of students in all of these areas. IELTS writing task 2 assesses the grammar and vocabulary of students along with style and usage for which modal verbs based on advanced grammar are important. Students can consider practicing advanced grammar for IELTS modal verbs for IELTS writing task 2. Moreover, as part of their preparation students can engage in practicing from IELTS practice papers which would guide them in using the modal verbs. However, for benefit of students, IELTS grammar modal verbs: will, would, and shall can be considered important based on which students can learn from a diagnostic test and practice exercise. IELTS Writing practice papers will help the students have more knowledge and perform well in the IELTS test. The increase in IELTS vocabulary helps with a variety of words and phrases that can be used in different parts of the IELTS Exam.

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Diagnostic Test Exercise
Complete the sentences with the will, ‘ll, won’t, would, wouldn’t or shall and the correct form of the words in brackets.

Question 1: We had to hurry to get him to the hospital. We knew it___(be) too late otherwise.

Answer: would be
Explanation: In the above sentence, we are making predictions about the future in the past. In such scenarios, we use the verb would. Since it will happen in the future, it would happen. Hence, when some made a prediction in the past for future events in the above statement, the modal verb would is used. This makes ‘would be’ the correct answer.

Question 2: ‘I wonder where Dad is.’ ‘He___(drive) to the airport, I should think.’

Answer: I’ll be driving
Explanation: Here there are two sentences. The first one is in the present tense. The second one talks about a task that the subject will be doing. When a statement is made with certainty about the present like the above sentence stating a certain act in the present that will be performed, makes will be correct.

Question 3: ‘Oh, dear. The lecture starts at nine o’clock. I’m late!’ ‘Don’t worry. This lecturer’s always late. He ___(not/start) yet.’

Answer: won’t have started
Explanation: In the above sentence, a character or a habit is explained. In order to explain a present characteristic or habit won’t or will be used like in the above statement where the person says that the lecturer won’t have started yet stating a simple fact. Hence, “won’t have started” is the correct answer.

Question 4: At this point in the season, the parents ____(eat) their young rather than allow a predator to attack them.

Answer: will eat
Explanation: here it talks about the habits and characteristics of the parent animal which is relevant to the present situation hence, the sentence says the parents will eat their young.

Question 5: The doctor____(act) as a witness to your signature. She doesn’t mind doing that sort of thing.

Answer: will act
Explanation: The statement uses the present or future tense of the verb. The doctor still has not addressed as a witness. He will be doing so. Here will is used as a verb to express the doctor’s willingness to witness the signature. Hence, expressing willingness or refusal in the present or future uses the verb will in this sentence.

Question 6: The PA____(not/book) my flights. She says it isn’t in her job description.

Answer: won’t book
Explanation: In the above sentence, since PA is not her job description, she will not be booking the flights. here, the “be” verb is not used. Since the be verb is not used, won't is the correct choice. The word won't here is used to express unwillingness or refusal to do something hence, implying that the PA will express refusal to book my flight.

Question 7: Dad____(always/help) us out financially when we were at university, however difficult it was for him.

Answer: would always help
Explanation: Here, would or wouldn’t is used to express willingness or refusal to do something when a past situation is stated. Accordingly, in the past when we were at the university, dad would always help us out is the sentence that would have been used for stating willingness from the past.

Question 8: The police interrogated the terrorist for more than four hours, but she _____(not/reveal) the names of her co-conspirators.

Answer: would not reveal
Explanation: In the above sentence, the terrorist expresses the unwillingness to reveal the name of the conspirators. Hence, would not have been used for stating a past situation expressing refusal. This makes would not reveal as the correct answer.

Question 9: You look tired. ____(I/make) supper this evening?

Answer: Shall I make
Explanation: Here, a question is asked if the second person will make supper or not. Shall is used here in the sentence to express an offer to make supper. This makes “shall” the correct answer.

Question 10: What_____(we/do) with Tom if he doesn’t get into university?

Answer: shall we do
Explanation: In the above sentence, again a question is asked about what to do with Tom. In terms of giving suggestions or asking for suggestions, shall is used as the verb for the question made above.

Question 11: ______(you/be) so kind as to help me across the road, young man?

Answer: Would you be
Explanation: Here a request for something from someone is made. Accordingly, the above request made is to a young man for helping the person cross the road. Asking or requestion uses “would” to begin with. Hence, would is the correct answer.

Question 12: We_____(like) everyone in this room to feel comfortable with the proposal.

Answer: would like
Explanation: Here the statement is made to express the desire that we would like everyone in this room to feel comfortable. In this sentence, everyone is requested or asked to be comfortable. Hence, would is used.

Circle the correct meaning or interpretation (a or b) for each sentence.

If anyone rings in the next few minutes, I’ll be in the storeroom.

I’m in the storeroom now.
I’m going to the storeroom.

Answer: 2
Explanation: The sentence shows a prediction that is being made about the future. It says that if someone rings I’ll be in the bedroom which implies that she is going to the bedroom. There is a condition and hence, the second choice is correct.

Ralph isn’t here right now, I’m afraid. He’ll be at the office.

He is at the office now.
He’s on his way to the office.

Answer: 1
Explanation: The question states about the present. It says that Ralph is not here which implies that Ralph is at the office now. Hence, the first choice is correct.

I’ve tried it again and again but the computer just won’t accept my disc. I don’t understand it.

I’m annoyed with the computer.
I am not concerned about the computer.

Answer: 1
Explanation: The above statement presents a refusal in the presence of the computer on which the person expresses annoyance implying the computer

It’s a relief that Annie’s changed, class. She would argue with everything I said.

I didn’t mind the arguments.
The arguments annoyed me.

Answer: 2
Explanation: In the above sentence, the speaker states Annie’s past trait or behavior which was to argue about everything which annoyed the teacher. Hence, the second choice is correct.

The secretary shall minute the proceedings of each meeting.

The secretary is offering to do it.
The secretary is instructed to do it.

Answer: 2
Explanation: In the above sentence, the speaker provides instructions about the secretary who has been instructed to do it. This is not an offer but an instruction.

‘It looks as though the fuel crisis is over.’ ‘I wouldn’t be too sure.’

The second speaker agrees,
The second speaker doesn’t agree.

Answer: 2
Explanation: the second speaker disagrees with the fuel crisis being over hence, using the verb wouldn’t.

It would be so nice to have a little cottage in the country.

The speaker doesn’t have a cottage,
The speaker has a cottage.

Answer: 1
Explanation: hypothetical situation expressing desire or preference for having a cottage in the country for which the speaker has used the verb would be so nice.

I would have liked to meet the professor while he was here.

The speaker met the professor,
The speaker didn’t meet the professor.

Answer: 2
Explanation: here the speaker expresses the desire of the past where it would have liked to meet the professor but didn’t.

Practice Exercise

Question 1:

Complete these dialogues with a will, won’t, would, wouldn’t, + have if necessary, and a form of the verbs in the box. The first one is given as an example (0).

argue	come	have	hold	prepare
say	start	stop	watch	work

Question 1: ‘Are you having problems with your new camera?’

‘Yes, the flash____in semi-darkness, only when it’s fully dark.’

Answer: won’t work
Explanation: it implies the certainty of the present situation where the flash of the camera won’t work in semi-darkness

Question 2: ‘Shop assistants used to be more polite, didn’t they?’

‘Yes, a few years ago they____always____”please” and “thank you” and smile.’

Answer: would always say
Explanation: when explaining a habit of people in the past is expressed, would is used hence, the above sentence stating that a few years ago shop assistants use to be more polite implies towards their past habit.

Question 3: ‘Surely there are too many people here to get on one plane?’

‘No, a jumbo jet____easily____over 300 people.’

Answer: will easily hold
Explanation: here a certainty in the present is evaluated about a jumbo jet being able to hold over 300 people hence, will is used.

Question 4: ‘I hope Josh is OK at that summer camp. He might be homesick.’

Don’t worry about him. He____a great time!’

Answer: will be having
Explanation: a future prediction for him having a great time has been made in the sentence for which will is used.

Question 5: ‘Do you think that the jury will acquit Nick?’

‘I hope so. I’m sure that his lawyer____a solid defence.’

Answer: will have prepared
Explanation: will have been used in the above sentence to state a characteristic of the lawyer in the present situation.

Question 6: ‘I don’t think this new secretary is as good as Janice was.’

‘I don’t know. Janice___always____whenever you pointed out errors in her typing.’

Answer: would always argue
Explanation: stating a habit of a person in the past makes use of the verb would which has been used for the above sentence

Question 7: ‘The new horse at the riding stables seems to be working out very well.’

Quite well, but he____and eat whenever he gets the opportunity!’

Answer: will stop
Explanation: predicting a future event that is going to happen certainly in the sentence that used the verb will.

Question 8: ‘Oh no, I’ve just noticed a mistake in the headline for the front page article!’

‘Phone the printers. They____printing it yet – they don’t print until early morning.’

Answer: won’t have started
Explanation: prediction made about the future has been considered for the above sentence predicting that the printers won’t have started printing yet

Question 9: ‘What happened after the car broke down?’

Well, we knew that traffic____along that road so late, so we slept in the car.’

Answer: wouldn’t come
Explanation: past predictions made for the future enabled the use of the word wouldn’t for the above sentence.

Question 10: Why are you and Jack arguing so much these days?’

‘He takes me for granted. He____TV every evening and ignore me completely.’

Answer: will watch
Explanation: certainty of the present has been mentioned within the sentence which states that he will watch TV every evening.

Question 2:
Rewrite the underlined parts of this phone conversation, using a will, won’t, would and wouldn’t.

JAKE: 020 7543 9216.

ALICE: Hi, Jake. It’s Alice here.

JAKE: Alice, how nice to hear from you!

ALICE: Actually, Jake, I’m phoning to ask you for some advice.

JAKE: (0) I’m willing to help you if I can, of course. __I’ll help you___

ALICE: Your mother receives help from the Council, doesn’t she? Can you tell me what (1) they agree to do and what (2) they don’t agree to do for older people?

JAKE: Yes, of course. Mum has a home help. She comes three times a week. (3) She’s perfectly happy to do light cleaning and (4) she’s willing to get the shopping, but (5) she refuses to do anything heavy.

ALICE: That’s fair enough. What about cooking?

JAKE: Well, when she first started (6) she was happy to prepare supper when she came, but she stopped that after a few weeks.

ALICE: Why was that?

JAKE: You know my mum. (7) She insists on saying exactly what she thinks. Apparently, the home help used to make Italian food and Mum didn’t like it. (8) She refused to eat it. Why are you asking, anyway?

ALICE: It’s Dad. He can’t move around very easily now. The neighbours are great, they (9) make a habit of popping in now and again but (10) he’s unwilling to ask them for help if he’s in trouble.

JAKE: Mmm. You can understand that.

ALICE: Oh, but he’s so impatient. I take him to the shops once a week, but yesterday (11) the car refused to start and I was about half an hour late. (12) Was he willing to wait for me? No, (13) he insists on trying to cope by himself! He went to the shops and collapsed on the way there.

JAKE: Oh, dear. It’s a worry, isn’t it? Look, (14) if you don’t mind waiting for a few minutes. I’ll look for the phone number for the right person at social services.

Question 1:

Answer: they will do
Explanation: here the person asks about future willingness to agree to help

Question 2:

Answer: they won’t do
Explanation: here the person asks about their unwillingness to do something

Question 3:

Answer: She’ll do light cleaning
Explanation: the certainty for the present is being expressed here about Jake’s mum doing the light cleaning

Question 4:

Answer: she’ll get the shopping
Explanation: the certainty for the present is being expressed here

Question 5:

Answer: she won’t do anything heavy
Explanation: the certainty for the present is being expressed here

Question 6:

Answer: she would prepare supper
Explanation: the willingness for the present is being expressed here

Question 7:

Answer: She will say (exactly) what she thinks.
Explanation: certainty for the present is mention here about the person saying exactly what she thinks

Question 8:

Answer: She wouldn’t eat it.
Explanation: her refusal or unwillingness to eat has been expressed.

Question 9:

Answer: will pop in
Explanation: certainty about the present has been provided regarding the neighbours popping in

Question 10:

Answer: he won’t ask them for help
Explanation: certainty of the present has been stated considering that he wouldn’t ask for help even if he is in trouble

Question 11:

Answer: the car wouldn’t start
Explanation: here the statement is made about a past situation about the car refusing to start

Question 12:

Answer: Would he wait for me?
Explanation: here a request is being made for a future situation

Question 13:

Answer: he will try to cope by himself
Explanation: here a certainty about the present is made about the father being able to cope by himself.

Question 14:

Answer: if you’ll wait for a few minutes
Explanation: here the person makes a request in the present with the willingness to help

Question 3:
Complete the dialogues below the pictures. Use will, shall or would.

Question 1:

Woman: ________

Friend: I won’t, thanks. I’m trying to lose weight

Answer: Will you have another piece of cake?
Explanation: here the woman is offering her friend another piece of cake

Question 2:

Teacher: _________

Student: Oh, Miss, not another essay for homework! We’ve already written two this week.

Answer: You will all write the essay for homework
Explanation: here the woman is providing instructions to the students for their homework

Question 3:

Man: _________

Women: Oh, yes, please! We always need someone to take the minutes.

Answer: Shall I take the minutes?
Explanation: here the person is offering help to the women

Question 4:

Police Officer: ________

Thief: Come with you? No, why should I?

Answer: Would you come with us, please?
Explanation: the police officer is requesting the thief to come with them.

Question 5:

Man: I don’t understand what you want from me!

Women: ________

Man: But I do respect you!

Answer: I would like you to respect me
Explanation: here the women express their desire for respect from the man

Question 4:
Read the article and then decide which word or phrase A, B or C below best fills each space. Circle the letter you choose for each question. The exercise begins with an example (0).
Words

The words that caught the mood of the decade are all there in a book published yesterday – clone, concentration camp, gene, depression – except that was not the 1990s; these words (0)__current in the 1900s.

The Guinness Book of the Twentieth Century cites lists of buzzwords for each decade of the last century. At the outset of the 20th century, few people would have guessed that it (1)___more language change than ever before. Of course, before the days of the communications revolution language evolved much more slowly. Many people today (2)____language not to change at all, but that is an unrealistic dream in the age of the global village.

Words you(3)____every day, such as chatline and trainers, (4)____only thirty years ago. And a word as universal as teenager gained common currency only in the l940s. Words change in meaning too: a scientist in the 1960s (5)____clone to refer only to plants. And anyone who asked ‘(6)____we watch the soap tonight?’ would have encountered total incomprehension before the Second World War. (Soap was what you washed with.)

There is a more worrying side to this if you consider that new coinage reflects the society it comes from. Only twenty years ago few people (7)____stalking, ethnic cleansing or road rage – concepts that the world (8)____perhaps be better without. It (9)____nice to think that the 21st century (10)____us happier words, but don’t hold your breath!

Serial No.	Option A	Option B	Option C
1	would have been	would be	will have been
2	will bring	brought	would bring
3	would rather	would prefer	will prefer
4	will hear	will be hearing	will have heard
5	would not have been recognized	would not be recognized	will not recognize
6	wouldn’t understand	will be understanding	would have understood
7	Won’t	Would	Shall
8	shall have understood	would have understood	will have understood
9	would	will	shall
10	will be	would be	would have been
11	would bring	would have brought	will bring

Question 1:

Answer: C
Explanation: here the person states would bring for predicting in the past about the future where the outset of 20th century would bring more languages

Question 2:

Answer: B
Explanation: preference of people in the present is stated

Question 3

Answer: A
Explanation: certainty of hearing words like chatline and trainers is common today

Question 4:

Answer: A
Explanation: certainty about the past is being mentioned here where the word today would not have been recognised in the past

Question 5:

Answer: C
Explanation: certainty about the scientists in the past in the 1960s knowing only about plant cloning has been mentioned

Question 6:

Answer: C
Explanation: here it talks about someone offering to watch the soap

Question 7:

Answer: B
Explanation: certainty about the past is being stated whree 20 years ago people would have understood the meaning of stalking, ethnic cleansing

Question 8:

Answer: A
Explanation: hypothetical statement made for a preference for a world without stalking and ethnic cleansing

Question 9

Answer: B
Explanation: stating a desire for 21st century to bring nice words

Question 10

Answer: C
Explanation: prediction for the future is being made for the 21st century bringing happier words

Question 5:

Read the statements from people who have or have had a disadvantaged life. Complete the sentences, expressing the people’s desires and regrets about the past. Use the word in brackets.

Question 1: Pedro________

In my country, we have to pay for medicine and a lot of people can’t afford it. The government should provide free medicine. (like)

Answer: Pedro would prefer to live in a real house
Explanation: here the preference of Pedro is being mentioned

Question 2: Esther ______

Every day I go into the town and I begin the streets for money. Obviously I don’t like going begging, but we need the money. (rather)

Answer: Esther would like the government to provide free medicine
Explanation: Esther’s desire is being mentioned here

Question 3: Sun-Li _______

I wear the same clothes every day. I look at models in magazines and I’m very envious of their beautiful clothes. (be nice)

Answer: Sun-LI would rather not go begging in the streets
Explanation: here Sun-Li’s preference for not going to beg on the streets is stated

Question 4: Hana thinks it______

I live in a village just outside a big city. The village is OK. but rich people from the city come and dump their rubbish in our village. It’s dreadful! (wishes)

Answer: Hana thinks it would be nice to have some beautiful clothes
Explanation: here Hana mentions her desire to have beautiful clothes which she doesn’t have

Sunil _________

I didn’t go to school. My family couldn’t afford to send me. So now I can only get a badly-paid job. It’s such a pity because I enjoy learning new things. (been good)

Answer: Sunil wishes that rich people from the city wouldn’t dump their rubbish in the village
Explanation: here Sunil is found to be stating his desire for people not dumping rubbish in the village

Maria thinks it __________

Answer: Maria thinks it would have been good to go to school
Explanation: Maria states her desire for have been going to school in the past

Question 6:

There are nine more mistakes in this text connected with the language in this unit. Underline the mistakes and correct them.

I’ll never forget the day my life changed. It was a normal day – in those days I
shall do my homework straight after school so that I could go and listen to pop => would
music at Janice’s after dinner. So I was sitting in front of the fire, trying to keep
warm. Mum was ironing. I looked at the clock.
Dad’s late,’ I remarked to Mum.
It’s Thursday. He’d be visiting Granny.’
My grandmother lived in a cold, draughty cottage on the moors. Mum and
Dad wanted her to move in with us, but our house was very small, and she won’t
They knew that the cold winter months would have hastened her death – she
already suffered from chronic bronchitis – but she was a stubborn old woman
who will insist on her independence?
Won’t it be nice if we had some money? We could buy a big house and
Granny could have a flat of her own in it. I hate being poor.’
Oh. pet, I shan’t say we’re poor. We’re not as well off as some, but we’ve
got a roof over our heads and food in our bellies.’ Mum would always see
the best in every situation. It really annoyed me! ‘Will I make a nice cup of tea?
Your Dad would be frozen when he gets in. He’ll want to save the bus fare so
I’m sure he’s walked all the way from your grandmother’s.’
At that moment, the door opened and Dad walked in, waving a slip of paper.
‘Forget the tea, Mary. We’re going out tonight. First prize in the lottery.
We’re rich!’

Question 1:

Answer: Line 6: He’ll be visiting
Explanation: certainty of the present for the person visiting

Question 2:

Answer: Line 8- She wouldn’t
Explanation: she wouldn’t is appropriate as it states her unwillingness to move in with her dad.

Question 3:

Answer: Line 9- would hasten
Explanation: the characteristic of the cold winter is mentioned here for which would hasten is appropriate for use.

Question 4:

Answer: Line 11- would insist
Explanation: here would insist on her independence is a question that is stated for unwillingness of people to insist her

Question 5:

Answer: line 12- wouldn’t it be
Explanation: hypothetical desire being presented for having money

Question 6:

Answer: line 14- I wouldn’t say
Explanation: refusal to state that they are poor is being mentioned by stating that I wouldn’t say we are poor.

Question 7:

Answer: line 16- Shall I make
Explanation: here the speaker offers to make a cup of tea

Question 8:

Answer: Line 17- will be frozen
Explanation: prediction of her father being frozen is been made in the sentence hence, a prediction of the future

Question 9:

Answer: Line 18- he’ll have walked
Explanation: certainty about the present is enabled here in the states where the father is supposed to certainly walk from the person’s grandmother’s place.

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